Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-12-20
tive and beautiful, and no, too familiar

tive and beautiful, and not too fAmilih,
things could fnd for l.. DJn't you
think she'll like i,l she sl~Ays has =
score, ye., two ,clie Of lossly presents.
all Kind. Of thing,; ba, | though, this
nigh, be different, perhaps. from what
one would buy"
"Likeit, Why. Alice, H.. exquisite.
inside aud out. And what lovsly
thought"
"The book. you see. IL jas. one Of the
nicer blank. books. Ard | decorated the
cover little"
1 Oa the crimson leather Of the ever she
had painted spray Of forss,.ms.no's
this for the back cover. The front bore
| lille. Of the valley. with sirayins vine.
and. In quain, lettering. the 'sa'' The
Word Is nigh thee"
"Then," resumed Alic,. while May
turned the leaves Of the little book. 81
wanted to send soms,hing TO al old
friend Of ours away up among the noun
tsin.. where We went las, year. She IL
fond of reading. oaly she hssn', much
that. good to read. poor SOUL She 60.
pscially enjoys the posts. and she knows
half Of wki,iisr and I.ongisllo~ aud Miss
Hs,ergal-~ho.e lie and poems We con-
,ri,ed 10 send h-r last Chris,ms-by
heart. 80 this year I've been saving the
bes, poetry that came In my way, .hd l
20, .no,hsr larger bl.nk.book. plsiner
ore. bui good enough. i.a'i iii And l
feel quite proud Of my anthology. !
ihink 4, compares very favorably With
some collections Of poems I've seen IN
pre.ea,ious volumes. Anyway. Il ~ill
be comfort TO Aun, Eipsrisnes-yts.
that. hsr name. and she ). aunt TO the
whole ,o~h.hiP. And here i' another OF
,h. came sort. Cousin Martin. Uncle
Jacks o!de.,. over Ia Rockville. this is
destined Cor. When cur elab bii of
tbi, ysat's m.gsIins.. the volumes Of
H.rpef's came 10 me, sl'o the Wide
Awake. 80, ~ith fathers hslp. l bound
the number. very earefallY. and as nicely
q. | could. and Il makes quite presen'a.
bls ,olsme. No, % much eIumsier than
,he book.binder would ssnd. | know
he'll b. glad Of |, for the little bookcase
that hold. ~hn be calls biz library.
And. II | can. | shall bind the Wide
Awake. 10 the same way. for hi. sister.
Why. May. one OF these books. honsly
a. iksy Arc. would have made u' rich al
dh-en. kaos u had book Al
Christmas. and another on my bitthdsy-
DID sometimes. not sl-ay'-I was be,.
isr pleased With the prospects f'my libra
~ lkan later and more prosperous yesn
have ever made me. But my presents
.fr not al books. Tki. spfoa-bu,ehsrs
linen. With = spray outlined In the corner
- stamped Il myself. .-ls for Aun, Har-
net. She looked 80 wisifally a. one !
had on one afternoon. .swins. ws
ashamed 10 remember the too dark calico
ote. | bad made her the chrs,mA' be-
fore. though really thought those would
be best So ,hi. year ! made her this,
ard 4 tidy Of the sane material. with .
larger p.,,,tn outlined. aud deep fringe
rlveled and tied fof the bottom, have
made for Aunt Mary. They cost very
little"
"Ani are as pretty a. need be. AID f.r
more ,sryiee.bls than the painted satin
I've fused over"
"Then old Nj. Gfsyson has always
admired my crazy patchwork. And |
h.d plen,y Of bit. Of elk and velvet len.
90 one afternoon pa, together this li,ile
tidy ZOE her had the lace TO tim It..
"Th,t. pretty. too. I nigh, have
done one Of them. II Id thought. ALICE
brain, .nd ihoughifal kindnss are a.
large an element In your pretty work. and
Ia all you do. As they ever wsre In the
color, ,h., psiaier mixed 90 fsmou'ly for
bis pictures"
"Ba, the rts, ate. for the mos, part.
very simple and common. Aud have
bough, . few ,hings T~c OF three
presents. | especially waited - make, !
bought las, summer. by some little con-
,riyane,., 90 economies. | have half for.
gotten what. And ,hi. biz OF color
d.ubsd On my,elf." She held up a
panel. on which were painted autumn
is.ve.-m.plr. .csrle, and yellow aud
ru..st. Though !, IL 'Ama'euri'h, J
think IL will give the recipient more real
pleasure In Ill that. pour as II Is. Il may
remind her OF. than some piece OF ofelabora's
embroidery. And the easel Charley
made for me Then ,hi. little engraving.
holding up an engraving OF rare beauty
and suggss,i,enes., a copy Of a certain
i.moa, picture by a sanity painter. 81
found one day. would coo, only I. much
=. the material for spls'hsr | W. 90.
ing 20 make. And IL |, were l, ] would
mneh rather pin a eommoa towel behind
my ws,h.s,snd, or a clean newspaper,
and have this to look At when tired and
discouraged. That |, all, save mothers
skirt. which Is surely eminen,ly useful
fathers mit,ens Il learned Of grandma iC
knI,); and the little deep cape I've made
for grandma herself. Father. mother
and | unite in getting one good present
for brother Charley. rather than tao Of
three little things" /.
"On! there are tao OF three holders.
"Yes; that one and the other like II,
shall hang on the ,ree-ja,, +. aoweI
from ere,onne. sppliqued on dark cloth
and . bright binding and loop to finish
As good a. tAwdry Christmas card. ism
in That one will be gay and Cheerful
! behind Miss Lsplin's little coal'siove 10
her own snug little room; and the o,he
j hope to sec hung in Mrs. MeGlnnis'
kitchen. No, I've not worked 90 hare
or steadily on them u you think. Al
evening now and then, little TIM
. afternoons, and once day. when ] coul'
! do little else. with odd moments nov
and then. have suffered to do them all
J Il 10 the planning and looking ahead ,ha
tells and makes IL possible"
: "And the kindly purpose. and lovinl
: thought, and willing heart" May added
repeating, after . moment or two, thos
familiar, significant lines Of LowslrG
; Yet In herseif she dvelieth not.
Although no home were half % fAir;
No simplest duty is forgot.
Life hath no dim and iouiy spot
That doth not In her kindness share
...-..s ,,,,,. St.s....~.